Illustrators develop a close connection with their materials. In Varoom 37 Poppy Chancellor, MaricorMaricar and Olimpia Zagnoli reveal what they love about papercutting, embroidery and experimenting with new materials. Here is an extract from cover artist Olimpia Zagnoli’s views on materials.

Olimpia Zagnoli Giungla scarf from her Clodomiro range

You have worked with fashion brands such as Lazzari and Ballyntyne, and produced imagery for clothing and kitchenware for your own brand Clodomiro, does your approach to image-making change at all depending on the eventual surface?

No it doesn’t. Naturally there is some technical information to keep in mind, but other than that my creative process doesn’t change. I want to create things that are easy to understand, for the people, with irony and that hopefully somebody will remember

What inspired your Clodomiro range?

Being Italian I’ve always been surrounded by design. Even when I didn’t even know what design was! In Italy design is part of everyday life, we read a book under a Castiglioni light, type on a Sottsass typewriter and our grandmas sit on a Magistretti couch. We ride our Vespa and pour coffee from a beautifully-designed moka every morning. We love objects!

My dad who’s a photographer called me one day saying, “why don’t we make some objects together?” I said “why not?” and he added, “but the theme has to be slightly erotic” and I replied “Ok Dad”. That’s how we started with a series of china plates, then a silk scarf, some t-shirts and soon there will be pillows!

Everything we end up making gets chosen after months (if not years) of sketches, samples, visits to local artisans and it’s made with love and attention to details. We always try to get better and do it slowly but with passion.